Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 29 November 14

Scott Walker

Scott had always been a big admirer of the work of Jacques Brel and throughout his career has recorded a large number of his works in fact his record label, Philips released a ten track compilation album in 1981, 'Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel' that included his first solo hit, 'Jackie'. 'Mathilde' was originally the opening track on his first solo album titled 'Scott' and was co written by French pianist, Gérard Jouannest with an English lyric by Mort Shuman

I Feel Fine - The Beatles

The song was written largely by John who was influenced by American blues artist, Bobby Parker’s 1961 recording of 'Watch Your Step', a song that Lennon kept on his juke box. He came up with the guitar riff while in the studio recording 'Eight Days A Week' for their 'Beatles For Sale' album, then went away and completed the song for their next single. The feedback at the start of the record was created by the sound engineer by but John Lennon decided her liked the sound and requested it to be used at the start of the song.

I Can't Take It - Mary Ann Fisher

The late Ray Charles wrote several songs inspired by Mary Ann Fisher after he hired her as one of his backing singers, they soon became lovers and she became a featured vocalist. Later she claimed that Ray had a woman in every town and she wouldn’t have become involved if she knew he was married. After Charles formed The Raeletts, Mary Ann embarked on a solo career signing with the Fire label in 1959 before switching to Seg-Way where she found herself in the American Hot 100 in 1961 with 'I Can’t Take It'. Mary Ann died in 2004 just a few months too soon to witness herself portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis in the movie version of Ray’s autobiography.

Watcha Gonna Do About It? - The Small Faces

Small Faces

The Small Faces’ debut chart hit for the group who were in the front line of the Mod scene in Britain but whose relatively short career spanned just three and a half years. Agent Don Arden signed them without even seeing or hearing them, just on recommendation from his associate, Pat Meehan. They entered the studio writer and producer, Ian Samwell and recorded their first single, a song Ian had written with Brian Potter, 'Whatcha Gonna Do About It' resulting in a UK top twenty hit.

Read Bob Stanley's profile of the notorious music manager, Don Arden, here.

I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher

Sonny and Cher’s first single for the Atco label flopped before they presented 'It’s Gonna Rain' with 'I Got You Babe'. Thunderstruck Sonny received a call from Ahmet Ertegun, the label boss to say how much he loved 'It’s Gonna Rain' and refused to be persuaded that he might have chosen the wrong track, but Sonny, not to be beaten, took 'I Got You Babe' to radio station KHJ in Hollywood and offered them an exclusive if they played it every hour, the result was a number one hit.

Unhappy - David MacBeth

David MacBeth hails from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne where he briefly played for the local football team before being conscripted into the army. He then appeared on the Carroll Levis TV Talent Show which led to bookings on local Tyne-Tees Television programmes sometimes using the pseudonym of David North. In 1959 he made his debut single for Pye releasing a cover of The Fleetwoods American hit, 'Mr Blue' that became a UK top twenty hit. Although he released several further very fine records, he never troubled the charts again. This third release, 'Unhappy' was written by Les Vandyke.

I Keep Forgettin' - Chuck Jackson

David Bowie

Jackson was born in South Carolina but grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where, between 1957 and 1959 was a member of The Del-Vikings after which he was invited to open for Jackie Wilson and the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. In 1961 he signed to the Wand label scoring a hit with his co-written 'I Don’t Want To Cry'. The following year he recorded the Bacharach and Bob Hilliard song, 'Any Day Now' that was a US top forty success and became his signature tune. The follow up also made the Hot 100, 'I Keep Forgettin’' which is often cited as being one of the most innovated but least commercial singles to have been written and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

An Occasional Dream - David Bowie

'An Occasional Dream' written by David Bowie comes from his eponymous second album that was released with a gatefold sleeve and fetches around £500.00 in auction in mint condition. The album opens with his first major hit, 'Space Oddity'. The song was inspired by his former girlfriend Hermione Farthingale, recalling their one hundred days spent together in Kensington and although he sent her a copy of the record, Bowie stated that it didn’t do any good as he never saw her again.

Devil Woman - Marty Robbins

Robbins was born and raised in the Arizona desert, with an alcoholic father and a musical medicine man for a grandfather. He worked on a ranch breaking in wild horses, turning to petty crime in his teens before joining the navy where he began strumming a guitar and writing songs. On leaving he began playing the local clubs for ten dollars a night. He was spotted by country singer, Little Jimmy Dickens who introduced him to Columbia Records and by November 1951 he had a deal, hitting the country charts with many of his singles. By the sixties he was a big star with his own TV series.